It was 7:42 a.m. on Monday.
My inbox was already a hot mess. Reps were asking for 15 minutes to chat. Reps saying their product is the “perfect fit.” Reps who clearly haven’t looked at a single thing we’ve designed.
And I get it.
They’ve got quotas. Architects have deadlines. But we get tired. Tired of smiling politely, then secretly asking AI, “Please craft an email to blow off a product rep without sounding like a jerk.”
What most reps don’t consider is… One wrong product choice doesn’t just mean a leaky roof or facade. It means a damaged reputation. And a client who will never hire or recommend our firm again.
So yeah… like most of my colleagues, I’d learned to keep reps at arm’s length.
Until one day, I got this email.
The subject line said: “A question about thermal bridging on your curtain wall…”
I opened it expecting another pitch. But instead… this rep (we’ll call her Maria) asked: “What’s the biggest challenge you’re running into on this envelope?”
Huh. Interesting. She wasn’t asking, “Can I show you our new system?”
Just… a real, actual question.
So I told her…
The client has aggressive energy targets, but at the same time, they’re squeezing the budget. And we were already behind schedule.
She didn’t flip into a pitch. She just listened and then asked a few thoughtful follow-ups.
And I’m pretty sure I let out an audible exhale.
This was the part that stuck with me…
Then she told me about another project.
It was on a university campus. They had similar energy goals and budget stress…. Pretty much the same pinch we were in.
And she didn’t make it sound perfect.
In fact, the story was kinda messy. Just like real projects are. But it was familiar and very relatable. And by the time Maria finally mentioned her glazing system, it didn’t feel like a pitch.
It felt like someone handing me a flashlight in the dark.
She didn’t say her product was “better.”
She said, “Here’s how this gets you to your goal. Your client’s happy. You hit the targets. And, surprise bonus: the GC doesn’t want to kill you because the install goes smoother than expected. In fact, he might even nod at you on site. Which, let’s be honest, is basically love.”
She wasn’t smooth or salesy. If anything, she was a little nerdy about thermal modeling. But that made me trust her even more. And three projects later, Maria is still the one I call. Because she didn’t try to “impress me.” She helped me feel like I had options.
And that made all the difference.
If you’re reading this and thinking:
“Dagnabbit! I wanna be that kind of rep…”
Good news. There’s a name for what Maria did. It’s a simple 6-step method that’s easy to follow. And you can use it on your next outreach.
But I’m not going to name it here.
[“C’mon, Neil! Again with the intrigue?!?”]
Yes…
Reply to this email, and in one sentence, tell me:
One product you offer, and one real problem it solves.
[Don’t think too much about it. All answers are accepted! :)]
Then, I’ll send you a short email explaining the framework she used. Plus a plug-and-play template you can use right away.
Talk soon?
Alright, that’s it. Go be someone’s “Maria” this week.
Neil (yes, I really do love frameworks)
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